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Reps. Torres and O'Rourke Introduce Bill to Protect Dreamers

March 9, 2017

Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Reps. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) and Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) introduced legislation that would protect DACA recipients from the Trump Administration’s executive orders. The bill, entitled “Dreamer Protection Act,” would prevent the administration from spending taxpayer dollars to apprehend, detain, or deport Dreamers who lose their status as the result of potential changes to the DACA program by the President or other officials.

“Dreamers are brave young men and women studying and working hard to pursue the American dream. They represent what is best about this great country, but Dreamers in my district and across the country are worried. They have heard our President say so many conflicting things about immigration policy, and they have seen him act on the worst of his promises, without empathy or consideration.” said Rep. Torres. “This bill would provide Dreamers with the certainty that President Trump cannot rip them from the only country they know on a whim.”

"There are 700,00 DREAMers in this country who were brought here at a young age and are now contributing to our communities,” said Rep. O’Rourke. They are going to school, serving in the military, and helping to create jobs and grow our economy. We need to protect them for their benefit and ours.”

Since taking office, President Trump has used executive action to push through sweeping measures aimed at building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border and creating a “deportation force” to go into immigrant communities, pursue and apprehend hardworking, taxpaying immigrants, and break up families. He has made a series of contradictory statements regarding DACA and immigration reform.